Anyone tried this dowel maker from AliExpress?

[bp122]

Hi all

Just wondered if anyone tried this down maker from Ali express?

https://m.aliexpress.com/item/10050...ist.product.0&gatewayAdapt=Pc2Msite4itemAdapt

Seems to be okay in principle, but I feel it is to cheap to work (if that's a thing) and may not provide satisfactory results.

Please let me know you thoughts.

 

[--Tom--]

Principle seems sound, is a small cutter so would need a blank roughed to pretty close to size to work quickly. The vids show something that’s very close to size already. I’d also expect a fairly coarse finish so depends on final purpose.
For the price I’m tempted, especially if it’s a standard size cutter

 

[Myfordman]

The quoted price is for a single carbide insert.
The tool itself is considerably dearer and may have a postage and vat added.

 

[bp122]

The tool with all inserts is £21 something including free shipping. Which is less than half of the Veritas or other makes. That's why I was curious but not fully convinced yet.

 

[Lorenzl]

Ali express displayed price is without the VAT whereas Banggood include the VAT in their price.

Looks interesting but the dowel sizes are to big for what I use. Also they are starting off with a round dowel rather than a piece of square wood.

Let us know how it goes if you buy one.

 

[bp122]

I'm not usually the one to take a punt on these things, I might bite the bullet and buy the Veritas one. Not sure yet.

 

[Droogs]

would be better if it was 8/12/19mm, but just taking the dowelmaker idea into the 21stC using carbide cutters from a helix type head. Probably worth a if you can't be bothered to make your own

 

[Adam W.]

It looks like Chinese shiz, why would you waste money on such carp?

 

[Kayen]

TBH it doesn't look bad for the money but the Veritas is obviously better as it provides a shearing cut versus a scaping cut. The only problem with the Veritas model is it's imperial rather than metric. I guess it comes down to how many dowels you need and at what size. Personally, I'm trying hard to avoid anything Chinese made these days.

 

[Stevekane]

Ive just been making Oak dowels, 11.5mm dia to suit an imperial Stanley dowel jig I have. My cutter is a hole near the edge of a piece of steel bar with a hacksaw cut through into the hole, a couple of whacks with a chisel sets the little “cutter tang” and away you go, having made a couple now I suspect I could make one in half an hour. Look online and you will find one to copy. What I do is to cut my blanks a fraction over size, then run it first through the next size up hole, this easily rounds it off and makes for a better finish when you put it through the correct size cutter, this might also apply to the Bangood ones.
Its very satisfying once youve got it running and its easy to knock up 20ft or more in a few minutes. You get a better finish if you dont shove it through but give it time to cut, and this might be down to the wood Im using, the finish is not factory smooth but a bit rough which I like because I think it holds the glue.
Steve.